Compilers and Development Tools for Embedded Systems

PERSPECTIVE Product

PERSPECTIVE is a Programming Support Environment developed by EDS for PASCAL- based software systems. PERSPECTIVE provides support for the software development process from initial design to in-service maintenance.

In particular, PERSPECTIVE is designed to meet the demands of management in controlling project teams, and provide specialist support for developing and maintaining real-time software for embedded computer systems.

The PERSPECTIVE system is appropriate for developers of medium to large systems. It is hosted on any OpenVMS configuration. PERSPECTIVE performs editing, compilation and system building functions.

Applications software can be downline loaded to the target hardware (such as a single board micro-computer) through a simple communication line and tested by using the PERSPECTIVE host system to inspect, control and debug the target system. This approach combines the advantages of a friendly and familiar environment of the host computer, with the ability to test application software on the actual target hardware.

The PERSPECTIVE system is intended to be used by a project team during the development and maintenance of a software system. The sources of all software components are held on the host machine in a database specially created and maintained by PERSPECTIVE. A simple command language allows access to the database and source items in a disciplined manner.

Sources can be shared between projects and/or applications with all uses of each item being recorded in the database. Multiple versions of a given source item can be held and the build configuration of any applications' system or component can be obtained by a simple database query.

In summary, PERSPECTIVE provides the methodology and the tools to ensure an effective solution to the problems of embedded system software development.